Wang Lijue, Chairman of AKang Health: 'I'm Not the God of Medicine, But I Strive to Ensure No Drug Is Hard to Find'
On August 5, at the strategic launch event for grassroots medical internet solutions hosted by Mingyi Zhonghe, Akang Health, as the strategic supply chain partner for its Cloud Pharmacy, joined forces with Mingyi Zhonghe to further address the medication access challenges faced by patients with chronic diseases and those diagnosed with serious illnesses when returning to grassroots healthcare facilities, thereby co-establishing a new retail platform for non-formulary medications at the grassroots level.
This strategic alliance will drive a dual-engine model of “medical care + pharmaceuticals” to address the shortage of medical resources and medications at the grassroots level!
In recent years, as policies have increasingly favored the primary healthcare market, the notion that “primary healthcare is a new gateway for patient flow” has become a consensus among many industry insiders. Primary healthcare constitutes the most fundamental component of China’s healthcare system, accounting for as much as 95% of the entire system. It encompasses community health service centers (and stations), township (and sub-district) health centers, village clinics, and outpatient departments (and clinics). According to relevant data released by the National Health Commission, by the end of 2017, the number of village clinics, private clinics, and infirmaries within primary healthcare institutions across China reached 800,000.
Faced with such vast end-user demand, can the combination of medical expertise and drug supply alone meet the public’s rehabilitation needs?Jiang Qiang, Founder and CEO of Mingyi Zhonghe, stated that the strategic partnership with Akang Health is timely. Akang Health’s core business focuses on the distribution of prescription drugs, chronic disease management, and the circulation of hospital prescriptions.
To date, the company offers over 12,000 prescription medications for chronic diseases, serves more than 500 domestic and international pharmaceutical manufacturers, holds exclusive out-of-hospital distribution rights for over 200 products, and provides a portfolio covering more than 1,000 medications for chronic, critical, and rare diseases. In Jiang Qiang’s view, after meeting the demand for conventional medicines, it is still necessary to further address the issue of how patients with chronic diseases and those diagnosed with critical illnesses can obtain their medications at the primary care level. A-Kang Health happens to provide a solution to this problem. “Village clinics with medication needs can place orders directly through the ‘Cloud Pharmacy’ platform. Upon receiving such requests, A-Kang Health can promptly arrange for the corresponding drug delivery.”
Wang Lijue, Chairman of Akang Health Group, also stated that this strategic partnership leverages the respective strengths of both parties and integrates resources to effectively address the issues where primary care physicians can make diagnoses but lack access to necessary medications, and patients hold prescriptions but cannot obtain the prescribed drugs. Survey data from Mingyi Zhonghe indicates that in recent years, over 62% of primary healthcare institutions frequently experienced medication shortages, while 89% of primary care physicians required consultations with pharmacists. Primary healthcare institutions bear the responsibility for routine diagnosis, treatment, and referral of common diseases, frequently occurring illnesses, and chronic conditions. The level of professional competence in these settings directly impacts subsequent treatment outcomes and public health safety. However, there are prominent contradictions at the primary care level, characterized by healthcare workers’ heavy workloads, lack of time for training, and difficulties in evaluating training effectiveness.
In light of the current state of primary healthcare, Wang Lijue proposed the strategic viewpoint: “In deploying primary healthcare services, we aim to serve as a ‘fulcrum’ for every citizen.” One such “fulcrum” is Akan Health’s initiative to integrate multi-party resources to establish a “Cloud Pharmacy Academy,” thereby enhancing the knowledge and skills of healthcare professionals, with particular emphasis on elevating the importance and engagement of pharmacists.
Wang Lijue stated that the development of primary healthcare is not merely about ensuring drug availability. In addition to continuously empowering “Internet + Healthcare” enterprises to advance the prescription drug supply chain, Akang Health should also assume the critical responsibility of building the first line of defense in chronic disease prevention and control. Primary healthcare professionals serve as the most direct gatekeepers of public health; therefore, their professional competencies must be enhanced in tandem to fundamentally improve residents’ health outcomes and effectively control disease trends.
Aikang Health’s “Cloud Pharmacy Academy” upholds the mission of “transforming primary healthcare and growing alongside primary care physicians,” by building a networked, digital, personalized, and lifelong medical education and training system. In collaboration with hundreds of industry experts and authorities from pharmaceutical manufacturers and related sectors, we compile and organize vast amounts of medical literature into online-friendly formats—including videos, audio clips, illustrated articles, and Q&A modules on basic operational knowledge—tailored for fragmented learning by primary healthcare workers. We offer personalized training courses (“a unique curriculum for each learner”) to meet the needs of medical professionals and pharmacists at various practice levels, as well as future talent in the healthcare industry.
Meanwhile, by linking knowledge topics through the following three-point linear approach, we aim to achieve comprehensive coverage through key focal points, integrating specific details with broader contexts, and facilitating top-down dissemination and penetration:
1. Disease-Specific Sites: Facilitate discussions and exchanges on complex cases and major diseases, focusing on chronic conditions, critical illnesses, and rare diseases;
2. Expert Sites: Aggregating resources from frontline experts and grassroots medical teams to support the national tiered diagnosis and treatment policy, and facilitating triage communication within the region;
Third, the College Site: By integrating high-quality learning resources and extending them to students at specialized vocational colleges, we aim to cultivate future industry physicians and pharmacists. This approach brings internship scenarios forward in the training process, thereby supporting the national development of professional talent. Fourthly, regarding training and learning outcomes, Cloud Pharmacy Academy has specifically designed diagnostic assessments and final completion examinations. Based on the examination results, areas of weakness are identified to recommend targeted courses and supplementary knowledge, thereby addressing any deficiencies.
In the future, Aikang Health will continue to focus on supporting the development of primary healthcare, aiming to realize the vision of “minor illnesses treated in the community, major illnesses referred to hospitals, rehabilitation returned to the community, and healthcare accessible to all.” The company is committed to ensuring comprehensive supply of prescription drugs for chronic diseases, critical conditions, and rare diseases, extending the medical service ecosystem, and establishing the Cloud Pharmacy Academy to enable primary healthcare professionals to grow rapidly through practice and deliver efficient services in their clinical work.Significantly improve the quality of primary healthcare and effectively enhance residents’ health. Upholding Akang Health’s mission to serve every citizen—“Compassion in Medicine, Benevolence in Pharmacy”—we strive to return the industry to its essence, restore dignity to pharmacists, and ensure that no one struggles to find needed medications.